


Tell Me

by often_adamanta



Series: Ask Me Universe [3]
Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-04-22
Updated: 2005-04-22
Packaged: 2017-10-22 05:21:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/234291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/often_adamanta/pseuds/often_adamanta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Originally posted at livejournal <a href="http://often-adamanta.livejournal.com/64579.html">here</a>.</p></blockquote>





	Tell Me

“Lij.” Billy held out the beer he’d just retrieved from the kitchen. “Hey. Lij.” No answer. “Elijah!!”

Elijah jumped and stared up at him. “What?”

“Beer?” Billy offered him the bottle a second time.

“Oh. Yeah, thanks.”

Billy sat down on the opposite end of the couch. “What is with you today?”

“What?”

“You’ve been spacing out all day.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Billy snorted. “Don’t think I hadn’t noticed that–”

The doorbell rang. “It’s Orli!” Dom called out, and Orlando’s laugh filtered back to them from the front door.

If Billy hadn’t been looking right at Elijah, he’d have missed it: the immediate tension in Elijah’s body, the sudden air of nervousness.

So that’s it, Billy thought.

“–this started after the bet,” Billy finished, changing tactics halfway through the sentence. “I’m the one who lost. I should be the depressed one.” Elijah took a drink of his beer, his knuckles white where they gripped it. “If you’re mad over it, you should just tell me instead of being silently hostile.”

“I’m not mad at you, Billy. It’s nothing like that,” Elijah sighed.

“Then tell me what it is.” No answer. “Elijah, please.” Elijah took another drink. Billy sighed and pressed on before they were interrupted. “You like him, don’t you?”

Elijah froze, wide eyes fixed on Billy. “Who?”

Billy ignored him. “You’ll feel better if you talk about it. Come on. Say it.”

Elijah’s eyes went dark and he seemed to shimmer slightly, conflicting emotions coursing through him. “Fine.” Elijah’s voice was low and harsh. “I like him.” Billy saw the shadow in the doorway, looked up into Orlando’s confused eyes. “Not that it matters. There’s no way he’ll want me after that crap I pulled. Not that he was ever interested to begin with.” Elijah just sat for a moment, defeat outlined in the slump of his shoulders. Then he jerked off the couch, and started toward the back door. “Christ, I need a smoke.”

Orlando watched Elijah’s back as he left. He ran a hand over his head, through hair that was no longer there. “I… I thought… It was a bet.” Orlando said, finally, but it sounded more like a question and he glanced back at Billy.

“Do you really think he would’ve kissed you if he hadn’t wanted to?” Billy asked quietly, silently cursing himself for being daft enough to suggest it in the first place.

“No,” Orlando decided, and followed Elijah outside.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at livejournal [here](http://often-adamanta.livejournal.com/64579.html).


End file.
